CELTIC CEREMONIAL ‘BUCKETS’ AND BELGIC EXPANSION

CELTIC CEREMONIAL ‘BUCKETS’ AND BELGIC EXPANSION

Feasting played a central role in Iron Age European society, as attested to in numerous classical sources, and by extensive archaeological evidence. Such tribal feasts appear to have had a socio-religious significance but, in true Celtic fashion, often developed into quite ‘energetic ’ affairs:

“And it is their custom, even during the course of the meal, to seize upon any trivial matter as an occasion for keen disputation and then to challenge one another to single combat, without any regard for their lives; for the belief of Pythagoras prevails among them, that the souls of men are immortal and that after a prescribed number of years they commence upon a new life, the soul entering into another body”.

Probably the most iconic objects associated with these feasts are lavishly decorated ceremonial ‘buckets’, which were used to serve alcoholic beverages in large quantities. Many of these vessels are exquisite works of art in themselves…

4 thoughts on “CELTIC CEREMONIAL ‘BUCKETS’ AND BELGIC EXPANSION”

This is very interesting. Another aspect of the feasting culture is the curadhmhír or champion’s portion and the flesh-hooks used to take meat out of the cauldrons. I have seen flesh-hooks from steppe cultures which closely resemble examples found in places like Ireland.